by Elias Shams
April 23, 2010

from Awesomedc Website

 

 

 

It was just a few days ago I blogged about Google boosting up their lobbying effort in DC.

 

To stay competitive with Google, Facebook is gearing up to pour in more cash into their lobbying branch in Washington, DC as well. Facebook’s interest and involvement in DC though goes further as they are in talk with the intelligence community, Office of the Director of National Security that advises the President and works with the CIA.

Facebook has been gradually boosting its profile in Washington D.C. over the past year and is on the hunt for a second senior lobbyist to add to its office of four.

 

Disclosures released a few days ago show that, on top of lobbying the usual suspects Internet companies reach out to like the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. senators and representatives, the fast-growing social network has also been busy deepening ties to government intelligence and homeland security agencies.

Facebook spent $41,390 on lobbying in the first quarter of 2010. That’s on top of the $207,878 it spent last year - the first year Facebook began releasing such disclosures.

 

Although these numbers are tiny compared to the $1.3 million Google spent on lobbying just during the first quarter this year, expect them to grow with the company’s influence and ambitions.

Funny thing is Facebook has raised privacy concerns for their users numerous times. Now they are talking to intelligence agencies on the federal level.

 

What are they talking about? Privacy concerns, MY ASS!

So, If I were you, I would give it a second thought before I add any additional information into my Facebook profile.

 

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